Originally started as a second-hand store in Osaka, Super Potato now dominates Tokyo’s Akihabara and Ikebukuro. Super Potato is, in one word, awesome. It’s a three floor megaplex of crowded shelves of everything game related from the 80s and 90s. The interior design of the store is heavenly if you’re a retro game fan. The walls and ceiling are covered with nostalgic game ads, magazine clippings, and blown up 8-bit sprites. You might also run into their somewhat scary life-size Solid Snake and Super Mario statues if you aren’t careful.
The first floor of the shop has Famicom, Super Famicom, PC Engine, and Sega games, along with playable setups of those respective systems. Amusingly, there is also a Virtual Boy near the front of the store if you miss that nostalgic feeling of ocular stigmata. The second floor has an impressive selection of Playstation games, MSX(!) carts, and handheld software. There’s also an abundance of collectable merchandise such as figurines, old strategy guides, and soundtracks, although some of it is unfortunately not for sale. The last time I went to the store they had a Sonic the Hedgehog wall clock that no amount of sad puppy dog eyes could convince them to sell. The third floor houses a game room with old-school arcade cabinets, a candy shop, and a smoking section where you can read manga. It’s a shade inexplicable, but trust me, it’s a great place to hang out.For any nostalgic gamers, this is the place for you. I love this place because it reminds me of when I was young. The store has a wide variety of retro game consoles and software. It’s like the Louvre Museum for games. For people who once loved to play with Nintendo, this place is perfect for you. The store is filled with vintage games that you cannot find elsewhere. Finding this place may be a bit difficult, but don’t let that deter you from going here. Also perfect for anyone looking for retro games that are no longer in production, and a great place to meet fellow gamers who have similar interests!
Super Potato has an immense selection of retro games, along with their associated systems, including the Famicom Disk System and the MSX. Its catalog really can’t be beat anywhere else in Tokyo and if you’re serious about finding something you need, it’s the best place to go. All games are cleaned, tested, and repaired before sale. Any irreparable damage to the merchandise is noted either by the staff before you buy it, or by a sticker placed on the outside of the game’s box or cart. If you are a knit-picky collector, then this is the place for you. Super Potato also offers frequent shoppers a point card which accumulates store credit after every purchase. The atmosphere will make geeks of all stripes feel right at home! The third floor alone is worth a visit if you’re just bored and don’t feel buying anything.